Yogo Vera - 3 Reviews

I had to do a little Internet search to find the origins of the Mojito, because I honestly thought it was a modern invention, as I had never heard of it until about five years ago. I was way off, there are debates on the timeline, but one thing for certain is that this concoction existed on this mortal plane by 1650. Apparently it just became more popular in recent years, or else I'm just completely out of touch. Actually, that is very likely.

In my daydreams the following situation occurred: some friends were getting ready for a beach party and they decided last minute that they should make some mojitos for their day of leisure. They ran to the store and each was supposed to get an ingredient; one was to grab lime, one sugar, one sparkling water and the other apple mint (they apparently we're going nonalcoholic or they had the rum waiting in the car, that part did not matter to me). When they met back up after their purchases Mr. Apple Mint complained that he had to pay more because he had to buy two things. Everyone looked at him quizzically and he produced a bag of fresh mint and a jug of apple juice. Everyone laughed because he was obviously a dum-dum head who didn't realize that “apple mint” is just a type of mint and they didn't mean to get both apples and mint. They all laughed even more and added the apple juice to the mix for kicks, and the wonders it did provide. Guys, in that daydream, I was Mr. Apple Mint! I honestly thought that this was going to be apple, mint and lime. Oh the difference a comma can make (and an “M” as I almost spelled that coma).

Yogo Vera did not make the same mistake as me, but they did change up the classic recipe a bit. This is sugar, lime, and apple mint (which does have a slightly fruity flavor). Instead of the classic sparkling water and rum this Korean company used aloe vera drink, complete with chunks. The aloe gives it even more of a nondescript fruity flavor, and buries the mint a bit. It's not quite the wonderful drink that was created in my daydream, but it's perfectly acceptable. I would have preferred it to have a stronger mint flavor, but that would probably make it taste like you were drinking lime aloe after brushing your teeth. What a temperamental herb mint is.

Put a fruit salad in front of a kid and it's a pretty safe bet that the honeydew will be the last thing left in the bowl. If you put yogurt in front of a child it is very likely that you will take that container away untouched. I don't know why kids don't like these two things. I certainly wasn't a fan when I was younger, but now that I'm a grown-ass man I love and consume more than my fair share of both. I don't know if a meeting was held by my taste buds and they decided that I was wrong for a few decades, but upon entering my thirties I had a newfound respect for the worlds of melon and yogurt. So much in fact that I let out a little yip when I saw this bottle in my friendly neighborhood Asian market. That's right, a 32-year-old man let out a squeal of joy whilst shopping alone. I don't think anyone heard me, but if they did I'd like to think that would give me an understanding nod. Did I mention this also has aloe chunks in it? This is a drink tailor made for the adult version of me.

What is held in this bottle is near gold to my mouth. It's a slightly thick liquid. It has more of the consistency of milk than yogurt, but it does have a slight yogurt aftertaste. The main flavor is wonderfully milky honeydew. Let's not forget the chunks. I think that if the aloe chunks would have been bigger this drink would be a slam-dunk, but they are fairly small, and seem more like pulp than hunks. I will tell you that it took some restraint not to drink this all in one sitting, but I'm glad I help strong, because I got to enjoy it again on another day. I wasn't lying when I said kids don't like honeydew or yogurt, but I bet if you put a bottle of this in front of a preteen it would be gone in a matter of minutes. Gold I tell ya.

Unfortunately this does not contain yogurt at all. It's basically tastes like the Aloevine Pineapple drink with milk added to it. I've had a bunch of drinks with milk in them lately, and I haven't been a huge fan. The chunks of aloe in this are no larger than pulp in orange juice. That's disappointment city. The chunks are what makes aloe drinks fun. In conclusion with is like a pulpy pineapple juice with milk. Who wants that?